Ukraine feels the heat from 'disgusted' West

Ukraine faces Western anger over its attempted crackdown on opposition
protests despite assurances it seeks compromise

A communal worker destroys a barricade that blocked the government building district in Kiev, Ukraine (Roman Pilipey/EPA)

By Tom Balmforth, in Kiev and Damien McElroy

6:18PM GMT 11 Dec 2013

Baroness Ashton, the leading EU representative, all but accused Victor Yanukovich, the president, of misleading her in negotiations in Kiev just hours before riot police launched a push to retake opposition occupied territory, including City Hall and Independence Square.

The crowd resisted the police onslaught in temperatures of minus 11C but Baroness Ashton, who was in Kiev for crisis talks on Ukraine’s rejection of a strategic pact with Europe, said the authorities had crossed the line.

“I am deeply concerned about last night’s action taken by riot police,” she said. “In the long discussion I have had with the president he reassured me that he was prepared to engage in dialogue and I urge him to do so.”

“I have been very much impressed with the peaceful and courageous nature of the ongoing protests in support of European aspirations,”

America’s declared its “disgust” at the attempted crackdown and its presence on the ground included Victoria Nuland, the assistant secretary at the State Department, who toured Independence Square as riot police pulled back. She said a crackdown on peace protesters was “inadmissable” among democratic nations. Miss Nuland said she had met Mr Yanyukovitch and the two had held a “tough conversation but a realistic one”.

Related Articles

“I made it absolutely clear to him that what happened last night was absolutely inadmissible in a democratic state,” she said. “We believe there is still a way out for Ukraine to save Ukraine’s European future.”

Thousand of specialist riot police in black helmets used the cover of darkness in the early hours to advance on opposition positions.

At a stage in the centre of Independence Square priests in black gowns chanted prayers while pop-stars and political leaders implored police not to beat “peaceful protesters.”

One speaker called out to sleeping Ukrainians to rise and rush to the square: “Wake up Kiev, wake up!”

Demonstrators on an adjacent street released fireworks into freezing night air as a kind of call to arms.

Scuffles broke out between police and opposition lawmakers, one of whom lay down on the snow trying to block a vehicle from advancing on the camp.

After some of the barricades and tents were dismantled, police and city workers began to remove debris with bulldozers. Policemen used what appeared to be chain saws to clear the barricades.

But as the sun rose over Kiev in the morning, the police had not been able to drive back the protesters on the square or to storm the city administration building.

There were no police left near the building or on the square by mid-morning, as a crowd of several thousand still lingered on the street.

“They had to leave, there were just too many people here,” said Andrei Govdun, a protester.

Officials backtracked claiming they had wished to open the roads to traffic but would have left the protest intact.

“I want to calm everyone down - there will be no dispersal,” Vitaly Zakharchenko, the interior minister said. “No one is encroaching on the rights of citizens to peaceful protest.”

The Ukrainian government has claimed it cannot afford to sign an association agreement with the EU in the face of Russia’s threats to call in debts and effectively bankrupt the struggling economy. The impasse has seen the biggest crowds to take to the streets since the 2004 Orange Revolution led to a change of government.

Mykola Azarov, the prime minister, said the country was still willing to do a deal with Brussels but only in return for billions in a bailout. “We have determined its approximate size - 20 billion euros,” he said.

In the light of day the opposition was defiant after repulsing the police. Songs rang through the corridors of City Hall where the protesters had barricaded themselves inside, sending women to the upper floors and positioning men in orange hard hats with sticks in the foyer and up the stairs.

“If they’re going to beat us, then let them beat. We are fighting for our future,” said Ivan, 23.

Opposition leaders warned the government was spurning opportunities for talks on resolving the crisis. Vitaly Klitschko, the world heavyweight boxer turned party leader, said Mr Yanukovich was incapable of compromise.

“With what happened last night, Yanukovich closed off the path to any kind of compromise,” said Mr Klitschko. “We had planned to have talks with Yanukovich. We understand that Yanukovich has no wish to talk to the people and only understands physical force, which he uses against the protesters.”